The invention relates to a mounting system, and in particular, to a mounting system for installing a field replaceable peripheral device on a chassis without the use of tools.
It is a problem in the field of mounting systems to prevent peripheral devices from shifting position within a chassis while also providing a mounting system to facilitate removal or replacement of the peripheral device without the use of tools.
Modern computer systems and computer operated equipment incorporate one of more peripheral devices, such as mass storage devices, mounted to the chassis within the computer system. These peripheral devices are typically removable for replacement, repair, or other purpose. A wide variety of different components are used to enable mounting/removal of the devices. For example, in certain systems, the peripheral devices are physically secured in position using screws or other conventional fasteners requiring tools for removal or replacement, which make installation and removal time-consuming and cumbersome.
Mounting Rail Systems
Other mounting systems for computer peripheral devices consist of low cost mounting systems requiring tools to attached rail systems or brackets. One such device comprises two flat rectangular side pieces that are attached to opposing sides of the peripheral device. Receiving rails are provided in the area of the chassis where the peripheral device is to be mounted, and are adapted to cooperate with the side pieces in a sliding arrangement. Examples of this type of mounting can be found, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,909, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,923. U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,099 describes use of a generally U-shaped bracket to which a peripheral device is screwed. The bracket is then mountable within the computer system without the use of screws. However, when the peripheral device is replaced, the replacement disk drive must have side rails or U-shaped members corresponding to the computer system rail system or the U-shaped bracket must be removed from the failed device and attached to the replacement device. Another problem with the U-shaped bracket arrangement is that the mounting hardware adds width or height to the computer system in which the peripheral device is mounted.
Mounting Tray
Other designs focus on an easily removable tray or bracket which contains the peripheral device. In most cases a tray design also requires tools to mount the peripheral in the tray. Tray designs also add height to the computer system. Examples can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,088, U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,340, U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,211, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,099. Another mounting system uses a tray in combination with clips, or spring actuated pins, to hold a peripheral device in place as described in the Justice tray design (U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,266). Since the removable tray and the U-shaped bracket designs add height to the computer system, computer systems incorporating these designs often are not available in slim profile packaging.
In many cases the emphasis of these designs is to aid in reducing the manufacturing labor. Often these systems are difficult for an untrained user in the field to operate when performing maintenance on the computer system or replacing a filed peripheral device. Systems relying on springs to retain a device are often inadequate for higher mass devices which can overcome the spring retention under shock conditions, thus many of these mounting systems are designed principally for relatively small low mass devices such as hard drives. Stronger springs can be used to retain heavier items, but stronger springs are harder for a user to manipulate without the use of tools.
An additional consideration is to allow for use with peripheral devices that have an exposed front bezel for display purposes or removable media. Many low cost and ease of use mounting systems are designed for hard drives and are internal to a system with no exposed bezel and no need for accurate alignment of the front of the device. When the peripheral device is a tape drive or other device having removable medium, the mounting systems described above often rely on fasteners or brackets placed in front of the peripheral device and nor not suitable for removable media peripheral devices.
Another problem is encountered when mounting peripheral devices in thin-profile computer systems. When mounting in a shallow flat case it is most desirable to install devices from the top, since removal of a top cover gives access to the entire system. The most common method of mounting in this type of arrangement is to attach angled brackets or a tray to the peripheral with screws and then to attach the brackets to the chassis with additional screws. While being very secure and very inexpensive, this is not easily accomplished by a customer in the field.
For these reasons, a need exists for mounting system for vertically installing a peripheral device within a thin rack mount chassis that does not add to the chassis height or interfere with the front bezel and allows removal and or replacement of the peripheral device in the field by untrained individuals without tools while also providing adequate retention for resistance to shock and vibration.
The present tool-less field replaceable peripheral mounting system overcomes the problems outlined above and advances the art by providing an apparatus wherein the peripheral device is quickly installed into a chassis without the use of tools. The chassis comprises a pair of side brackets secured to the chassis.
In an embodiment, a side bracket in conjunction with a center bracket restrain the installed peripheral device vertically and horizontally. The side bracket in this embodiment includes at least one vertical slot transitioning into at least one horizontal slot. A fastener protruding from a side of the peripheral device slides into the slot to restrain the peripheral device in a horizontal direction the center bracket includes at least one hole corresponding to at least one mounting hole in the opposite side of the peripheral device. The peripheral device is secured to the center bracket using fasteners, such as shoulder thumbscrews, that extend through the holes in the center bracket and into the peripheral device to restrain the peripheral device in a vertical direction. The shoulder thumbscrews are easily attached or removed by hand without the use of tools. The use of the side bracket in conjunction with the center bracket, allows a peripheral device to be installed in a chassis having a height that is approximately the same height as the peripheral device.
In another embodiment, the peripheral device includes thumbscrews protruding from the right and left side of the peripheral device corresponding to the slots in the pair of side brackets. As the peripheral device is inserted into the computer chassis, the shoulder of the fastener slides into the slots in the pair of side brackets. The side brackets and outwardly projecting clips therein restrain movement of the installed peripheral device in the vertical and the horizontal direction. A latching top cover provides additional restraint of the peripheral device in the vertical direction. Thus, the top cover in combination with the side brackets holds the installed peripheral device securely in place.